"Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants"

"Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" by Marc Prensky

While reading this article, all I could think of was my somewhat unsuccessful attempt to help my 85 year old grandfather use his new laptop. Last year he decided to buy himself a brand new Dell laptop and junk his old PC, which was still using Windows 95 and dial-up AOL. Needless to say I was surprised by his decision, he really loved that old computer. After researching for months and looking around at different models, he finally decided on a Dell laptop complete with Windows Vista. By the summer everything was in order, he had his laptop, high speed internet access and even a wireless network so he could sit outside and still be connected. Then he actually started the computer and was so overwhelmed by the difference between Vista and Windows 95, that he immediately regretted his decision to buy the laptop. I tried to help him learn what was what on the screen, how to find solitaire, get on the internet, etc, etc...but my attempts were unsuccessful. Even after spending hours with him, writing things down, he pretty much gave up. To this day, months later, his laptop is sitting on the coffee table in his living room untouched.

In the article, Prensky refers to my generation as "Digital Natives" as we have grown up with technology and it has become integrated into every aspect of our lives. On the other hand, he refers to older generations, like my parents and grandparents, as "Digital Immigrants." They are newcomers to the world of technology. Some are interested in using technology and have adjusted, like my mom, who is proud of herself for figuring out how to pay bills online. Then there are other "Immigrants" like my grandfather, who have given up on learning how to use technology in their everyday lives. He describes it well on page 3, "Smart adult immigrants accept that they don’t know about their new world and take advantage of their kids to help them learn and integrate. Not-so-smart (or not-so-flexible) immigrants spend most of their time grousing about how good things were in the "old country" (Prensky, 3).

I agree with many of Prensky's beliefs about the need for technology to be completely integrated into the education of the younger generations. Many twenty-somethings like me and teenagers can be reached on a different level by using technology. We use different forms of technology everyday, we listen to music on our I pods, keep in touch with family and friends by cell phone, use the internet for anything and everything, the list goes on and on. What is important however is the fact that technology has become stitched into every little part of our lives, except for education. Many teachers, as Prensky points out are "Digital Immigrants" that do not speak the same language as their "Digital Native" students. When this language barrier has been eliminated, technology will have an important and influential role in classrooms of all levels.

On pages 4 and 5, Prensky discusses how engineers learned the new CAD Software by playing a videogame that taught them as they went. I have a problem with videogames being used as educational tools. The whole idea of a "shooter" game being developed to teach CAD really bothered me, even though primarily adults were the ones playing the game. Games that feature violence, especially in an educational setting, I feel should not be developed, especially for use by younger students. Rather than videogames, that are often played alone, with no social interaction, I think games played that are played in a small group are more beneficial to students.

After finishing the article I began thinking about how we can close this gap between "Digital Natives" and "Digital Immigrants," I think the answer can be found by putting more of an emphasis on the younger generations helping the older generations learn how to use new technology. Even though my attempt to help my grandpa was not very successful, that does not mean that all older people cannot be helped. There need to me more programs in place in the community, maybe through high schools or senior centers, where the “natives" can help the "immigrants" become fluent in the language of technology. Do you think programs like this could work?